Dreissena bugensis
Dreissena bugensis
(quagga mussel)
Mollusks-Bivalves
Exotic

Impact ID8235
Impact TypeWater Quality
Study TypeObservational
Study LocationField
Impact DescriptionIn Lake Michigan, the fraction of water column cleared (FC) was measured experimentally for quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) in 2007-2008 and determined to exceed the phytoplankton growth rate at depths of 30-50 m, likely by a factor of five. This excessive filtration is hypothesized to cause a mid-depth sink of carbon and phosphorous; this is similar to the nearshore phosphorous shunt caused by zebra mussels, except that it occurs at mid-depth levels where quagga mussel densities are high.
Reference24635
Great Lakes RegionNo
Cost 
LocationLake Michigan, USA

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Citation information: U.S. Geological Survey. [2024]. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida. Accessed [5/12/2024].

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